Legal Definitions - pilferage

Pilferage describes the act or an instance of stealing, particularly when referring to small or minor items. It can also refer to the specific item or items that have been stolen.

• Example 1: Retail Environment
  A shopper discreetly places a small cosmetic item, such as a tube of lip balm, into their pocket without intending to pay for it while browsing in a drugstore.

  Explanation: This scenario illustrates the act of pilferage, as the shopper is stealing a minor item. The lip balm itself would be considered an item of pilferage once stolen.

• Example 2: Workplace Setting
  An office manager notices that several boxes of premium pens and a new ergonomic mouse have gone missing from the locked supply cabinet over the past month, with no record of them being distributed to employees.

  Explanation: This situation highlights an instance of pilferage, referring to the disappearance of the items due to theft. The missing pens and mouse are the items of pilferage.

• Example 3: Manufacturing or Warehouse Context
  During a routine inventory check at a electronics factory, it's discovered that a significant number of small, valuable components, like microchips and specialized connectors, are unaccounted for from the assembly line stock.

  Explanation: This describes an instance of pilferage, indicating that these components have been stolen. The missing microchips and connectors are the items of pilferage.